Staff from The DRG (Di Maggio’s Restaurant Group) have raised an impressive £7,324 for Scottish charity Hospitality Health, with funds collected through raffles and blind auctions held at their recent team social events.
The charity, which is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of those working in hospitality and tourism, will use the donation to support its ongoing mental health training programme. Funds will help train more staff across the industry to become Mental Health First Aiders.
Kathryn Knox, Head of People Development at The DRG, said, “We are delighted that our teams have been so enthusiastic in raising funds for Hospitality Health and we thank them for their generous donations. Many of our suppliers also donated prizes for our raffles and auctions, so this was a big team effort for a great cause. Our teams are happy to support the charity and the courses they deliver. Over the last few years several members of our team have attended courses and become Mental Health First Aiders.”
She added, “Gordon and the team at Hospitality Health are so passionate about helping those that work in our industry by providing invaluable information to anyone that may be facing work or personal worries. We signpost the Hospitality Health website to all our teams and will continue to remind them that there is a wider support network of like-minded professionals who they can connect with should they wish. This is a fantastic charity that is current and much needed in an industry that whilst very rewarding can also be very tough!”
Founded over seven years ago, Hospitality Health has grown steadily with support from operators and suppliers across the sector. The charity’s core aim is to shift the culture around mental health in hospitality by encouraging open conversations and providing employers with the tools to understand and manage stress in the workplace.
Hospitality Health founder and chair Gordon McIntyre MBE said, “We are absolutely delighted that the DRG teams have been kind enough to select Hospitality Health as their chosen charity. This is the third year they have done so, we really appreciate it. £7,324 is a huge amount for us—this will go towards funding places for more staff in the industry to become Mental Health First Aiders.
“What we are trying to achieve with Hospitality Health is to equip our industry with the right tools and mental health first aid certificated training to not only address mental health but to put staff welfare first. We launched Hospitality Health in Glasgow over seven years ago with 120 operators in attendance and we have grown considerably, with a real need for mental health support.”
Any business interested in fundraising or in applying for the Hospitality Health Wellness Charter can contact Gordon at gordon@hospitalityhealth.org.uk
Pictured receiving the cheque are (L–R): Ching Mellan, DRG Training Co-ordinator; Gordon McIntyre MBE, Founding Chairman of Hospitality Health; and Kathryn Knox, Head of People Development at The DRG.
